15 Movies to Watch in April

      The first month after awards season presents a significant array of noteworthy and diverse releases. From the standout winners at last year’s Locarno and Rotterdam film festivals to remarkable directorial debuts and the latest work from (possibly) America’s most productive major director, there is much to discover.

      15. Heads or Tails (Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis; April 10)

      After their captivating film The Tale of King Crab, directors Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis are back with a major star, featuring John C. Reilly as Buffalo Bill in Heads or Tails. The cast also includes Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Alessandro Borghi, Peter Lanzani, Mirko Artuso, Gabrielle Silli, and Gianni Garko. Rory O’Connor commented in his review, “I can name few living filmmakers better suited to the Western genre than Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis. The team behind The Tale of King Crab, a film I regard highly, has carved out their own place in contemporary Italian magical realism, alongside Alice Rohrwacher and Pietro Marcello, yet distinctly unique. Their latest, Heads or Tails, is another of the filmmakers' enchanting campfire tales. While it may not fully realize their Western ambitions, it will certainly suffice until that happens.”

      14. Erupcja (Pete Ohs; April 17)

      After 2024’s Brat Summer, the preceding seven months can be characterized as Brat Cinema. Charli XCX has premiered several features at festivals since September, and following the theatrical release of The Moment, Pete Ohs’ Erupcja is next. Debuting at TIFF last fall, this engaging drama follows a woman who paves her own way on a retreat with her boyfriend in Poland.

      13. Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) (April 17)

      An impressive directorial debut and a true New York story, Joel Alfonso Vargas’ Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) was featured at Sundance, Berlinale, New Directors/New Films, BFI London, and various other festivals last year. Starring Juan Collado, Destiny Checo, Yohanna Florentino, and Nathaly Navarro, this narrative about a hustler within a close Dominican American community was acquired by Oscilloscope for a spring release.

      12. Mother Mary (David Lowery; April 17)

      Reuniting with A24 after A Ghost Story and The Green Knight, writer-director David Lowery returns with Mother Mary, an epic pop melodrama featuring Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Jessica Brown Findlay, Sian Clifford, and FKA Twigs. Despite original music contributions from Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff, and FKA Twigs, the early buzz has been rather subdued, making one hope that Lowery has crafted something truly unconventional.

      11. Exit 8 (Genki Kawamura; April 10)

      Mario isn’t the only video game adaptation gracing theaters this month. Genki Kawamura’s Exit 8, based on the popular game, premiered at Cannes last year and subsequently screened at Toronto, Sitges, Busan, and more. C.J. Prince noted in his review, “The game’s simplicity and use of the current liminal horror trend made The Exit 8 a viral success, with over 1.5 million copies sold, buoyed by popular streamer content that garnered millions of views. But how do you create a feature film from a game that can be completed in minutes? For director and co-writer Genki Kawamura, it involves employing horror’s classic reliance on allegory, with Exit 8’s concept symbolizing how routines can ensnare us in cycles of negative behaviors. The story follows The Lost Man (Kazunari Ninomiya) during his daily commute in the Tokyo subway, where he receives a call from his ex-girlfriend stating she is pregnant, prompting him to decide whether he wants her to keep the baby.”

      10. Mile End Kicks and Roommates (Chandler Levack; April 17)

      After her praised debut I Like Movies, Chandler Levack is set for a busy April 17. Not only will her Adam Sandler-produced third feature Roommates be released on Netflix, but her second film, Mile End Kicks, will also debut in theaters. Premiering at TIFF and SXSW, this film is set against Montreal’s 2011 indie music scene and features an ensemble cast, including Barbie Ferreira, Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, Juliette Gariépy, and Jay Baruchel. Jared Mobarak remarked in his review, “Mile End Kicks provides Grace with a chance to pursue her dreams by moving to Montreal without fallback options. This city acts as the Canadian music epic